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Vail to Host “Celebration of Champions.”

Vail to Host “Celebration of Champions” Event March 29 for Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin. Residents and guests of the Vail Valley will have the unique opportunity to honor two great champions Friday afternoon, March 29, as the Vail Valley Foundation and Vail Resorts host the “Celebration of Champions” event, in partnership with the Town of Vail, featuring U.S. Ski Team athletes Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin. The free event is slated to get underway at 4:30 p.m. at Mountain Plaza at the base of Vail Mountain, adjacent to Gondola One.

Despite missing the final three downhill races of the season due to an injury she suffered during the World Championships in Schladming, Austria, Vonn still managed to claim the World Cup Downhill discipline title by virtue of her trio of early-season victories. That crystal globe brings her career total to four overall crowns and 13 discipline titles.

At just 18, Shiffrin firmly laid claim to her star status with four World Cup slalom wins en route to capturing the World Cup Slalom title this past winter. On the way, she also picked up the Slalom gold medal at the Schladming World Championships.

“We are truly honored to say that the Vail Valley is home to this pair of great international champions,” explained Andy Daly, Mayor of Vail. “We could not ask for better ambassadors to inspire the next generation of skiers in our community.”

In addition to special presentations, the Celebration of Champions event will also include free music, an autograph opportunity and the chance to be part of a community photo. At the conclusion of the event, all participants will be invited to join Vonn and Shiffrin on and around the stage for a group photo that will be utilized to promote the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.

“We hope that everyone will come out to celebrate Lindsey and Mikaela,” offered Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail. “Not every community can say that two of best ski racers in the world call our valley home. We could not be more proud of their accomplishments and look forward to even greater things to come, especially as we look ahead to the 2015 World Championships in Vail and Beaver Creek.”

While she was born in Burnsville, Minn. in 1984, Vonn considers Vail her “hometown” as she and her family commuted to Vail for training for several years before finally moving there permanently in the late ’90s to further her racing career. Lindsey spent her formative years on Vail Mountain, honing her racing skills in all alpine disciplines with Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, then went on to achieve success in major U.S. and international events such as the Junior Olympics, Junior Worlds, NorAms and Europa Cup before entering the International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup circuit. When she’s not rigorously training or garnering medals, Vonn makes her home at the The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail.

Scheduled from February 2-15 of 2015, the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Vail and Beaver Creek are expected to showcase athletes from over 70 nations, with an estimated 750 million worldwide television viewers and an onsite media and broadcast entourage of approximately 1,500 members.

For more information about Vail Mountain visit www.vail.com, or stop by the Mountain Information Center, open daily from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., or call (970) SKI-VAIL (754-8245).

Posted by Paul Swansen

Funny, irreverent, cynical, optimistic, dreamer and Taurus with a stubborn streak, and a fondness for Jerry Garcia Ties, thrives on working hard with smart people. A former, Radio DJ, and Program Director, Television Program Director, Public Affairs Officer, Speech Writer, Award Winning Radio Spot writer, Computer Tech, Event Producer, and Customer Service Guru is always looking for a new challenge. Communicates and plays well with others. Won't work with whiners. Wonders why no one seems to know how to load the dishwasher properly.